Week 16: Steelers vs. Bengals
The Bengals have mostly owned the Steelers since Joe Burrow came into the league. However, this team will once again avoid playing the Pro Bowl quarterback as Burrow has been shut down for the season. This means that they will get Jake Browning for the second time in 2023.
Against a backup quarterback and a less talented team, than they were last year, we would have thought this would be a freebie for the Pittsburgh Steelers late in the season. However, Mike Tomlin's team is essentially dealing with the exact same circumstances. The Steelers are banged up and likely without their starting signal-caller in Week 16.
Browning has been no slouch either. Despite his unimpressive resume, the Bengals' backup quarterback has turned heads in his first three career stats -- leading his team to a 2-1 record.
Right now, Cincinnati is in the same boat as Pittsburgh as they are both scratching and clawing to earn a Wild Card spot in a tightly contested AFC. This is a matchup that could come down to quarterback play, but it's also one that with too much riding on it for the Steelers. I have Mike Tomlin snapping his losing streak with a home win over the Bengals and advancing to 8-7 entering Week 17.
Prediction: Steelers 20 Bengals 17
Record: 8-7